Painting Plus

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. It's a great idea to learn what a contractor can - and can't - do for you. Look first for signs of good character; that's more important than what's written in their contract. Ask questions, lots of them. A contractor's reactions to your questions will tell you a lot about their interest in your project, their attention to your concerns, as well as their knowledge of the field.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Product manufacturers will provide important information with their product . . but not always all the information you might want. You can usually find a number to contact the manufacturer to learn more - in case you have some unusual circumstance. (Let's say your surface will be subject to some abrasion; should you consider using a different product than the one you have selected? Or perhaps they can suggest a way to protect their product; maybe with a clear protective coat.)

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. How have you been trained to do what you do?
What have other customers said about you and your work?
If I have qualms about the finish that I'm considering, can you help me to have a better idea of how it will look BEFORE the whole room is complete?
When do you expect to be paid?
Do you have any other suggestions for alternate ways to accomplish my goals for this room?

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Is the customer firmly committed to the plans they have for improvement of the looks of their home or business - or are they open to new ideas of accomplishing their objectives?

How would the customer like to deal with the very important issue of maintaining security when hiring a new contractor (Will they loan a key; issue a security code; stay in the building when workers are present?)

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. Our work stands out for two reasons: One - we do meticulous prep work.
Two - we use information that we gather from customers regarding their taste to create unique finishes for them. We have knowledge of scores of products from across the country and around the world. We literally concoct custom finishes for our customers.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Being creative is tremendously fulfilling. When we hear about a prospective customer's interest in doing a project, we start coming up with ideas. Because there are several of us in the business, we start bouncing ideas off of each other. This creates a wonderful synergy which means that we typically have so many good ideas that we have to whittle the list down to just the best of the best.
Beyond this, we really like seeing the look of delight on our customer's face when they see the finished results.

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I can't count the number of certifications we have received for various kinds of training we have received. From one end of the country to the other - even overseas - we have traveled to be trained. That doesn't include the countless hours spent online seeking out more education, nor the networking we do with others in our field. By now you realize that we do this because we like it.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. You've mentioned several kinds of paints and plasters that you work with. It sounds like they are all two dimensional. Do you work with anything that has dimension to it?

We work with lots of three-dimensional products. We can make water features that look like stone. We have some customers that really like bling. So we create wall finishes that include glass beads, etc. We work with engineered cement products that allow us to create the look of tile or stone on patios, basement floors, driveways, etc. These all have dimension.